Texas Special Education Teachers and Contract Termination: What to Know Before You Resign

When Abuse Shows Up at Work: Texas Advocacy Project on Red Flags and How to Help

Domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, and coercive control do not always stay behind closed doors. These issues can show up in workplaces, schools, professional settings, and other environments where colleagues, supervisors, educators, or other licensed professionals may notice that something is wrong. In this episode of Know Your Regulator, Cimone Murphree is joined by Bronwyn Blake, Chief Legal Officer of Texas Advocacy Project, to discuss how abuse can show up at work and what professionals should understand before trying to help. Texas Advocacy Project is a free nonprofit law firm serving survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, child abuse, stalking, and human trafficking across Texas. Bronwyn explains how abuse may appear in the workplace, including missed work, visible injuries, an abuser showing up at the office, or other changes that may signal a person is unsafe. She also shares what a supportive response can sound like when someone discloses abuse or when a coworker, employer, or professional is concerned. The conversation addresses why “just leave” is not a helpful response, why survivors may not be ready or able to leave an abusive situation, and how safety, finances, housing, children, and fear of retaliation can all play a role. Bronwyn encourages listeners to avoid isolation, create space for honest conversations, and connect survivors with trained resources when they are ready. We then cover how Texas Advocacy Project helps survivors through its free and confidential legal services, including intake, conflict checks, attorney consultations, and legal information about options and next steps. Bronwyn also discusses how organizations, businesses, and employers can request training, review workplace policies, and support TAP’s mission through initiatives like Handbags for Hope and Backpacks for Hope. Whether you are a licensed professional, employer, supervisor, coworker, educator, or someone who wants to better understand how to support survivors, this episode offers practical guidance on recognizing red flags, responding with care, and referring people to the right resources. If you or someone you know needs help, call the Texas Advocacy Project’s legal line for survivors at 1-800-374-HOPE. Watch the episode here! - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/when-abuse-shows-up-at-work-texas-advocacy-project-on-red-flags-and-how-to-help/ [https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/when-abuse-shows-up-at-work-texas-advocacy-project-on-red-flags-and-how-to-help/] ____________________ Visit the resources mentioned:  Texas Advocacy Project Website [https://www.texasadvocacyproject.org/] Texas Advocacy Project General Contact: info@texasadvocacyproject.org [info@texasadvocacyproject.org] Texas Advocacy Project Trainings and Outreach [https://www.texasadvocacyproject.org/training] Handbags & Backpacks for Hope [https://www.texasadvocacyproject.org/handbags-backpacks-hope] "50 Obstacles to Leaving, a.k.a, Why Abuse Victims Stay" [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/239923010_Fifty_Obstacles_to_Leaving_aka_Why_Abuse_Victims_Stay] by Prof. Sarah Buel ____________________ About the guest: Bronwyn Blake, UT Law ’05, is the Chief Legal Officer of the Texas Advocacy Project and the Founder of their Teen Justice Initiative, a program that advocates for teen victims of dating violence.  Blake was awarded the first UT Faculty Fellowship in Public Interest Law from the William Wayne Justice Center to start this valuable work.  In 2016, Blake was awarded the Texas Access to Justice Commission’s James B. Sales Boots on the Ground Award for her legal services work. She is also a graduate of Leadership Austin’s Emerge Program for young leaders and the former President of the Young Women’s Alliance, a professional organization in Austin, Texas. She has served as an officer on the board of Girlstart, an organization that empowers girls in science, technology, engineering, and math. She is an adjunct professor at UT Law teaching “Domestic Violence and the Law.” ____________________ Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/ [https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/]

Can Texas Teachers Just Quit? Resignation, Burnout, and Certificate Risk

When a teacher is burned out, frustrated with administration or feeling pushed out of the classroom, resignation starts to feel like the easiest way forward. But for Texas educators, walking away from a contract can carry consequences that follow them long after they leave a district or campus. We sit down with LaJuana “LJ” Acklin, a senior associate attorney at Bertolino LLP, to discuss what Texas teachers should understand before resigning, especially during the summer months when many educators are deciding whether to return to their district, change schools, or considering leaving the profession altogether. We talk through why an educator certificate still matters, how campus evaluations, investigations, and student-related allegations can become part of a much larger record, and how contract abandonment can lead to certificate discipline. LJ also explains the 45-calendar-day resignation deadline before the first instructional day of the upcoming school year, what “good cause” may look like, and why teachers should think carefully before resigning under pressure from administration. The conversation also discusses grievance options, documentation, communication with the district, leave options, and why getting legal guidance early does not make an educator look guilty — it helps them understand their rights and protect their professional future. For Texas teachers who feel burned out, overwhelmed, or unsure whether they can keep going, this episode offers an opportunity to understand the rights and options they may have before making an emotional decision that has a potential impact on the certificate they worked hard to earn. Watch Here: https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/can-texas-teachers-just-quit-resignation-burnout-and-certificate-risk/ [https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/can-texas-teachers-just-quit-resignation-burnout-and-certificate-risk/] Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/ [https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/]

Camp Mystic and the Texas Board of Nursing: What Licensed Professionals Can Learn

A summer camp, a licensed nurse, and a Texas Board of Nursing case may not seem connected at first glance. But when a licensed professional’s training, judgment or credentials are part of the role they hold, the licensing board may still have a regulatory interest, even outside a traditional hospital or clinic setting.  In this episode of Know Your Regulator, Cimone Murphree is joined by Bertolino LLP’s Amy Cadwell and Melissa Hooper to examine the Camp Mystic nursing license case as an educational example. We do not break down the tragedy itself or assign any blame. Instead, we look at how this situation at a summer camp can become a matter before the Texas Board of Nursing, and what licensed professionals can learn from it.  We begin with the connection between professional licensure and non-traditional work environments, including what happens when a licensed professional also holds an operational or leadership role. Amy and Melissa discuss why boards focus on function over setting, how emergency planning and medication systems become regulatory issues, and why informal “we’ve always done it this way” workplace practices can create serious risk.  We cover practical red flags for licensed professionals in Texas, including unclear authority, lack of written protocols, unsafe delegation, inconsistent documentation, and situations where your professional judgement may be overridden or minimized. If your license is part of the reason why you serve or supervise others, make safety decisions, oversee care, or respond to emergencies, then your professional responsibilities may follow you farther than you think.  Subscribe to Know Your Regulator, share this episode with a licensed professional who may need it, and know your responsibilities and protocols before a crisis occurs.  Watch Here: https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/camp-mystic-and-the-texas-board-of-nursing-what-licensed-professionals-can-learn/ [https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/camp-mystic-and-the-texas-board-of-nursing-what-licensed-professionals-can-learn/] Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/ [https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/]

Got a Board Complaint? Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late

A board complaint lands in your inbox. A notice of investigation arrives from your licensing agency. A hearing deadline is already running, and suddenly your professional license, your income, and your reputation may all be on the line. In this episode of Know Your Regulator, host Cimone Murphree sits down with Troy Beaulieu, Director of Legal Services at Bertolino LLP, and Valerie Rivera, Certificated Paralegal, to talk about why the lawyer you call, and when you call them, could make a major difference in a professional licensing case. Whether you are a nurse, physician, engineer, educator, pharmacist, real estate professional, counselor, or other licensed professional, your license is your livelihood, and a board investigation is not the time to wait and see what happens. We talk through what can happen when a license holder tries to handle a board complaint alone, relies on internet research and generic templates, or hires a lawyer who does not regularly practice before licensing boards and state agencies. Troy explains why administrative law and professional licensing cases are often controlled by strict deadlines, agency procedures, evidence rules, and issue preservation, and why your options can shrink the longer you wait. Valerie shares what she sees behind the scenes when clients come in late, leading to missing records, short deadlines, incomplete exhibits, heightened stress, and a damaging narrative that may already be taking shape. Then we look at a lighter path, where a licensed professional calls the right professional license defense attorney early, the legal team has more time to gather documents, build a timeline, prepare witnesses, develop mitigation, respond strategically, and present a full picture to the licensing board. Early representation does not guarantee a perfect outcome, but it can give a license holder more control, more options, and a better chance at protecting their professional license and livelihood. If you have received a board complaint, notice of investigation, proposed order, hearing notice, or disciplinary action from your licensing agency, this conversation can help you understand why timing matters and why not every lawyer is the right lawyer for a professional license defense matter. Subscribe to Know Your Regulator, share this episode with a licensed professional who may need it, and stay ahead before a complaint becomes a crisis. Watch Here: https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/got-a-board-complaint-dont-wait-until-its-too-late/ Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/ [https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/]

Texas Special Education Teachers and Contract Termination: What to Know Before You Resign

A student and situation are escalating, others are at risk, and you have seconds to act. For Texas special education teachers, that split-second decision can later be framed as “use of force,” “inappropriate contact,” or a violation of policy and could trigger an internal investigation, paid administrative leave, a report to TEA, and educator contract termination. We sit down with LaJuana "LJ" Acklin, a senior associate attorney at Bertolino Law Firm, to map what happens when a district moves to end a teacher’s contract and why the decisions made early on matter so much. We talk through termination vs nonrenewal, how notice works, and the strict deadlines to request a contract termination hearing before an independent hearing examiner. We also unpack the hard truth behind “resignation in lieu of termination”, where it can feel like it protects your narrative, but it may also wipe out your best chance to contest allegations and preserve key defenses. Then we get practical for the classroom realities. We cover Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) training, why de-escalation should come first whenever possible, what “proportional” force means in real life, and why documentation and communication with paraprofessionals and campus leadership can protect both students and staff. Finally, we explain statutory immunity under Texas Education Code 22.0512 and Texas Penal Code 9.62, and how “non-deadly justified force” may apply when you reasonably believe you must act to maintain discipline or protect safety, even when district policy gets complicated. If you’re a Texas teacher, especially in special education, this conversation can help you understand some of your options before you make a decision. Subscribe to Know Your Regulator, share this with a Texas educator who needs it, and leave a review with the question you want us to tackle next! Watch Here: https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/texas-special-education-teachers-and-contract-termination-what-to-know-before-you-resign/ Get more information, details and resources on Know Your Regulator - https://www.bertolinolaw.com/know-your-regulator/ [https://www.belolaw.com/know-your-regulator/]